


4 + 1

by krisdreaming



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 4 + 1, F/M, Fluff, M/M, gender neutral reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26683939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisdreaming/pseuds/krisdreaming
Summary: A collection of fics for various Haikyuu boys, all based on the prompt "4 times he thinks he loves you, and the 1 time he says it out loud"
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Reader, Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader, Tsukishima Kei/Reader
Comments: 11
Kudos: 85





	1. Iwaizumi Hajime

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr at [@haikyuudreaming](http://haikyuudreaming.tumblr.com)
> 
> I have written more of these and will be writing even more, and I'll be cross-posting them here periodically!

_**i.** _

The sun has just started to set. Hajime has told you time and time again that you don’t need to wait for him to finish practice. It always gets so late, and he feels terrible that you spend so much time just waiting around for him when you don’t have to. Still, every time he leaves practice and sees you standing outside the gym, face breaking into a smile at the sight of him, he has to admit that he’s glad you do.

“How was practice?” You ask like you always do, reaching for his hand. He slides his fingers between yours and brushes his thumb against yours. Your hand fits his so perfectly.

“It was fine.” He shrugs.

You laugh. “That’s what you say every time.”

“Well, practice isn’t a very exciting thing.” He chuckles. “How was your day, then?”

You start telling him about it, whatever amusing or interesting details come to your mind. He loves listening to your voice. He gets so caught up in your soft chatter that the two of you have reached your house before he realizes it.

“Well, I should get inside.” You say apologetically. “I’ve got a history essay due tomorrow that isn’t going to write itself!” You don’t immediately turn for the door, though. You turn to face him, and the setting sun plays golden across your face. His breath catches in his throat, and his lips part but no sound comes out. I love you, he thinks but doesn’t say. The four letter word takes him completely by surprise.

“Bye, Hajime.” You finally say, and when you stand on your tiptoes he recovers enough to kiss you back, quick and sweet.

“Bye. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Is all he says, with a final wave before you head inside.

_**ii.** _

The movie credits start to roll, but Hajime makes no effort to move. It’s late and he really should be getting home, but you’re sound asleep, and your head is pillowed on his shoulder. You’re snoring every so softly. It will take a few moments before he can bring himself to wake you.

You just look so peaceful right now. He feels an emotion that’s becoming more familiar start to wash over him. Seeing you like this just gives him the overwhelming desire to protect you. He’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that you’re safe. Happy. Loved. 

Finally, you stir, releasing a small sigh as your eyes flutter open. When you see him watching you, a sleepy smile steals across your face. “Hi.” You whisper.

He chuckles softly. “Hi.”

“I’m sorry I fell asleep.” You sit up, rubbing your eyes. “I guess I was more tired than I thought.”

“It’s alright. I need to get going, anyway.” He stands, and you pout.

“Okay.” You sigh, standing to wrap your arms around his neck. He lets his hands settle on your hips. I love you. It plays in his mind again, but all he does is lean in and kiss you.

“Goodnight.” He reluctantly lets you go. “Sleep well.”

_**iii.** _

“Happy Birthday!” Hajime isn’t very good at hiding the surprise on his face. You’re beaming at him from behind a huge cake, covered in candles. He recognizes your handwriting in the Happy Birthday Hajime lettering across the top. “Did you think I forgot?” You laugh at his expression. He’s still speechless.

He had tried to convince himself it didn’t matter, but had considered the possibility. All day, you hadn’t even made a mention of his birthday. He had just changed for practice looking forward to slamming some volleyballs into the ground to convince himself he wasn’t upset, but when he emerged in the gym this was what he’d walked into. You, standing with all of his teammates and this cake.

“Guys…” He finally says, looking from one face to another. Everyone is grinning at him.

“It was all Y/N’s idea!” Oikawa pipes up. “The surprise, I mean. Did it work?”

“You got me.” He admits, scratching at the back of his neck as a smile finally breaks across his face. “Thank you.” He’s saying it for everyone, but he’s looking right at you. You set the cake down and cross the few steps separating you.

“Happy Birthday.” You say again, leaning in for a kiss. “It’s, you know, the first one since we started dating. I wanted it to be special. I hope I didn’t embarrass you too much with the whole team being here.” Your words are only for him. Everyone else is too focused on cutting into the cake to pay much mind.

“No.” He says quickly. “This is really cool, Y/N. Thank you.” He cups your neck and leans in for one more quick peck. I love you thumps in his chest, but there’s no way he can say it out loud with his entire team only a few feet away.

_**iv.** _

Your cousin’s wedding is winding down. At this point of the evening, two thirds of the guests have already filtered out. Hajime is nearly ready to ask if you’re ready to do the same, when the DJ announces that he’ll be playing one more song before packing up. You turn to him with a sparkle in your eyes and hold out your hand.

“Come on, Hajime. Just one more. Dance with me.”

When you smile at him like that, it doesn’t take too much convincing. He reaches for your outstretched hand and lets you lead him to the dance floor with a handful of other couples. It’s a slow song, so all he really has to do is hold you close and sway to the music.

“It was a beautiful wedding.” You comment softly, and he hums in agreement. “And the food was-” You pull way just enough to look up at him, your eyes closing in delight just at the memory. “Incredible.”

“It was pretty good.” He agrees, and you lay your head on his shoulder. Smiling, he pulls you a little closer.

“And you look very handsome.” You add in a murmur, fingers toying with the short hairs at the nape of his neck.

“Only when I’m standing next to you.” He says, something he wouldn’t dream of saying if he weren’t just the slightest bit tipsy.

“Stop it.” You giggle, then pause for a moment. “Thanks, Hajime.”

He presses a kiss to the top of your head. “For what?” He asks softly.

“For being with me.” It’s a silly thing to thank him for, really. There’s no place he’d rather be. He loves you, after all. He just can’t seem to make his mouth form the words.

_**v.** _

Hajime wants to stay like this forever. It’s only the first time you’ve spent the night together, but he already knows that waking up next to you is something he’ll never get tired of. Nothing compares to spending the night with you pressed against his chest.

You stir, and as you wake, you slowly turn to face him. Your noses are nearly touching.

“Good morning.” You murmur, voice still muddled with sleep.

“Morning.” He knocks his nose against yours. “You sleep well?”

“So well.” You smile, stretching luxuriously. “Probably because I had you to keep me warm.” You lean in and press a soft kiss to his lips. You settle down in his arms again, just looking up at him with a still-sleepy smile. His heart is nearly overflowing. Those words are welling up again.

“Hey, Y/N.” He says, arms tightening around you. You nod, silently prompting him to continue. He leans his forehead against yours. “I love you.” It comes out in a whisper, but he says it. Your eyes widen slightly. You frame his face with your hands.

“Hajime.” You breathe. “I love you, too.” Before the words have completely left your mouth, you’re tugging him down into a kiss. He can’t help but smile against your mouth. Now that he’s managed to say it once, he doesn’t have any plans to stop saying it any time soon.


	2. Kuroo Tetsurou

**_i._ **

The library is completely silent save for the murmur of other students whispering and the soft patter of the rain outside hitting the window panes. Tetsurou is here to keep you company more than anything. You’ve got a huge test coming up, and you’ve been studying for almost two hours now. Tetsurou had finished his chemistry assignment 20 minutes ago, so now he’s just aimlessly surfing the web. 

Bored, he glances at you over the top of his laptop screen. You’re still hard at work with your head bent over your textbook, nibbling on the end of your pen. Something tugs in his middle. You must feel his eyes on you, because after a few moments, you look up at him with a frown. “What?”

He licks his lips, then shakes his head. “Nothing. You soon done?”

You laugh. It’s one of his favorite sounds. “Soon.”

You look back down at your book, but he can’t stop looking at you. The tug in his middle has taken the form of three small words, but this isn’t the place to say them. He’s not sure he could, even if it was. Instead, he turns them over in his mind, and decides he likes the feel of them. _I love you_.

**_ii._ **

Kenma is laying on his belly Tetsurou’s bed, tapping away at his video game console. The soft music playing from his game is pleasant background noise now that the movie playing on your laptop has ended. You and Tetsurou are sitting on the floor, with your backs propped against the bed. He’s feeling a little giddy, most likely a combination of the lateness and all of the sugar you’d consumed.

“That was awful!” You laugh, knocking your shoulder against his. “Who let you decide what movie we should watch?”

“Kenma.” Tetsurou points up, in the general direction of his friend behind him. Kenma scowls even though neither of you can see him.

“Did not.” He protests softly. “All I said was that I didn’t care what we watched.”

“Same thing.” Tetsurou laughs even though it’s not really that funny. You join him for a little bit, but the sound soon dies on your lips, and you hug his arm, pillowing your head on his shoulder and peering up at him through your eyelashes. The remains of the smile that lingers on your face is soft. He falls silent, too.

“Tetsu, I’m starting to get sleepy now.” You murmur. He leans down to press a quick kiss to the tip of your nose.

“Are you?” The warm affection in his voice even takes him by surprise.

“Mm-hmm.” You hum, and you slide down until your head is resting against his thigh. You close your eyes and release a soft sigh, and looking down at you a warm tingle that’s not unpleasant fills Tetsurou’s chest. _I love you_ catches in his throat, and instead of saying anything, his fingers begin gently carding through your hair.

After a few minutes of silence, Kenma peers over the edge of the bed at you, then looks at Tetsurou with a quirked eyebrow. There’s nothing to deny, so Tetsurou just shrugs, a half smile ghosting across his face. The look in Kenma’s eyes is a little too knowing.

**_iii._ **

“Ooh, look at this!” You tug on Tetusrou’s hand, and once again he’s being pulled to another exhibit. He’d had a feeling you’d enjoy checking out this museum and the special history installation they’d advertised, but he hadn’t quite expected this level of enthusiasm. 

You are so into this. You’re stopping to read every plaque, leaning in close to look at everything on display. Other people are skirting around the two of you but you’re oblivious to it. He thinks it’s absolutely adorable.

“Isn’t this so cool?” You look at him, and your eyes are practically glowing. He wants to tease that you’ve never quite looked at him with the same enthusiasm. “Thanks for taking me here.” You continue, and your smile goes softer as you tug on his hand again, this time to bring him close enough to press a quick kiss to his lips. He can’t resist, and leans in to return the favor, smiling against your lips for just a few moments.

“Of course.” He says, shrugging as though it’s really no big deal.

“You know me so well.” You grin before turning your attention back to the exhibits, still keeping a firm hold on his hand. He gives yours three slight squeezes. If you pick up on the hidden meaning and the words he shouldn’t say for the first time in public, you don’t give any sign.

**_iv._ **

“You shouldn’t be here.” Tetsurou just manages to wheeze out, but you shake your head firmly.

“Too bad, I’m here.” You say breezily, and he’s entirely too woozy to do anything else about it. “I have medicine, and I brought some tea, that should help your throat.” You’re already bustling around the room, heating up the electric kettle and dropping a tea bag into a mug. “You still feel pretty gross, huh?”

His response is a coughing fit that he tries unsuccessfully to hold back. Immediately, you’re at his side, concern coloring your face as you unscrew the cap from the bottle of water you’d placed on his bedside stand. After taking enough sips to placate you, he sets it back down, and you reach out and tenderly brush his hair away from his flushed face. He watches as you return to the tea, pouring the now hot water into the mug. You’re humming softly to yourself as you squeeze in a generous amount of honey.

You’re so good at taking care of him. He hadn’t even asked for it, and yet here you are, making him tea and bringing him medicine and looking at him with those soft eyes. He doesn’t deserve you, but yet you’re still here, sticking stubbornly by his side.

“Here.” You hand him the mug and lean in to brush a quick kiss to his forehead. “You drink this, and I’m going to go pick up some soup, okay?”

“Thank you.” He says as he lifts the mug to his lips, smiling meekly at you over the rim as you turn to go. He loves you so much that it almost scares him.

**_v._ **

Having you in his arms again is better than Tetsurou could have imagined. Winter break had only lasted a few weeks, but to him it had felt like an eternity. “I missed you!” You breathe into his neck, and he can feel the words on his skin. He hugs you a little closer.

“I missed you too.” Finally he releases you so that he can look at your face again, trying to memorize every feature even more clearly for the next time you’ll have to be apart. You grin at him, reaching to sandwich his face between your hands.

“You look so serious.” You giggle, and he can’t help but crack a smile at that before you pull his face down to yours and kiss him one more time.

“Now what?” He asks after you pull away, not really caring what you do next as long as he’s with you.

You think for a few moments, then open the door of your dorm directly behind you and tug him inside. “I kinda just want to cuddle for the rest of the night.” You admit. Nothing has ever sounded so perfect to him.

“I love you.” He says without thinking, and his eyes blow wide almost as fast as yours do.

“What?” You ask, blinking at him, and he reaches for your hands, supposing now is as good a time as any.

“I love you.” He repeats, suddenly feeling just a little bashful. “And I mean that. You’re… amazing.” His fingers skim your cheek. “But it’s okay if you don’t want to say it back yet, I-”

“I love you too.” You blurt out before he can even finish his sentence, and he feels like he’s smiling impossibly big. 

“Yeah?” He’s searching your face again, wanting to memorize every single part of this moment.

“Yeah.” You grin. The next time he says it is five seconds later, against your lips, and he wonders how something so easy had taken him so long to say.


	3. Tsukishima Kei

_**i.** _

When you meet Kei in his classroom for lunch, you’re carrying two bento boxes. He doesn’t have time to ask you about it, because the moment you sit down next to him you push one toward him.

“Here, I made this for you.” You smile at him, almost bashful. “You haven’t been eating a lot at lunch lately, but I know you must get hungry. Ah, I hope it’s okay that I did that.” After all, the two of you haven’t been dating for so long, only a few months.

“Oh. Well, thank you,” Kei can’t hide his surprise or the small smile that finds itself on his face. “Of course it’s okay.” Why wouldn’t it be? The fact that you’d though of him does strange things in his chest. He pulls the bento closer to him, tugging open the neat knot you’d made in the cloth.

“I did a little research,” You add when the meal is finally unwrapped. “So I put in lots of protein and other stuff that you’ll need for volleyball. Can’t have you getting tired out.” You giggle, and he looks from the carefully prepared meal to your face, smiling expectantly. The feeling in his chest is starting to twist into something else, and it hits him right as his chopsticks are hovering over the rice. I love you. Huh.

“Thank you,” He says again instead, hand coming to rest on top of yours. “Really. This means a lot.” For just a few moments, the world comes to a stop, and he gives your hand a gentle squeeze, hoping it’s enough.

_**ii.** _

“I’m sorry. I know this isn’t ideal,” You say when you let Kei in. “It’s just that the babysitter bailed at the last minute, and they haven’t been able to go out just the two of them for so long.” You’re bouncing the baby in your arms, and Kei can’t not notice the tender way you’re holding him.

“It’s alright.” He shrugs his bag off his shoulder. “Ah, so what’s his name?” He peers stiffly down at the child, sleepy eyes already drooping shut. 

“Hitoshi.” You coo, poking your fingertip gently on the tiny nose, which scrunches up at the touch. “Do you want to hold him?” You offer suddenly, catching Kei off guard so much that he nods.

“Okay.” That quickly, you move to settle the baby in Kei’s arms, gently positioning its head in the crook of his elbow. Once he’s situated, you rest your cheek on Kei’s shoulder, peering down at him.

“Isn’t he so precious?” You ask in a whisper, and Kei doesn’t answer right away because he’s all too aware of your hands wrapped around his arm and the gentle look on your face. He sort of likes it. “Hm?” You prompt, and Kei almost jumps.

“Yeah, sure.” He says a little too gruffly. “He’s cute.” He turns and looks at you with three words stuck in his throat, but doesn’t say anything more. This might not be the best time to say it, anyway.

_**iii.** _

The evening air is cool as he walks you home, and the light from a streetlamp is playing across your face. You and Kei had just shared a piece of strawberry shortcake at your favorite little cafe, and it’s almost as though he can still taste the sweet berries on his tongue. You giggle, and he thinks maybe it’s your laughter, instead.

He slips his hand into yours, tugging you a little closer to his side because everything comes a little easier in the moonlight. Your conversation is light, chattering about nothing. About everything. He runs his thumb down yours, and at the gesture you pause in what you’re saying to smile softly at him. I love you bubbles up again, and really, tonight might be the perfect time to say it, but before he can work up the nerve, you’re standing in front of your house.

“Thanks, Kei. That was a lot of fun.” You face him, tilting your chin up so that you can see his face better. “I missed nights like this.”

“Me too,” He says softly. “I’m sorry, it’s just with volleyball and all-” You stop him before he can continue.

“You don’t need to apologize to me,” You say firmly. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m really proud of you, you know? And I hope you know that you have my full support. No matter what. I’ll always be here to cheer you on.”

“I know.” He says, and lets his fingers skim your cheek before leaning in and kissing you, soft and sweet. Your arms wrap around his neck and he puts those three words behind the pressure of his lips.

“Good night, Kei.” You say when you finally pull away.

“Good night,” He echoes, and you lift your hand in a quick wave and turn toward the house before he can say another word.

_**iv.** _

Kei catches you in his arms with a soft oof. “I really missed you!” You say, muffled into his shoulder, and he holds you a little tighter.

“I was only gone for one week.” He says, laughter in his voice. 

“Yeah, I know.” You finally pull away to pout at him. “How was the training camp? Were you too busy, or did you have time to miss me?”

He huffs out a laugh. “Oh, it was just as intense as usual. I swear, Hinata and Kageyama are insane. I don’t know if they even slept. They’re worse than the first years.” He shakes his head, and you laugh softly. He missed that sound. “And yes,” He confirms, “I suppose I had a little bit of time. To miss you.” 

You feign a gasp, reaching up to rest your hand on his forehead. “Kei, are you feeling alright?” He narrows his eyes. “To think my stone cold boyfriend would actually admit to missing me!” You splay your hand dramatically on your chest. 

“I’m not stone cold,” He rebuts, crossing his arms across his chest. 

“Weeelll…” Your giggle turns into a shriek as he hooks an arm around your middle, dragging you back against his chest.

“Take it back!” He threatens, lips tantalizingly close to your neck.

“Or?” You shoot him a cheeky grin.

“Hm, glad you asked.” He nuzzles his nose into the juncture of your shoulder and neck, then presses a kiss there. Here, with you in his arms just like this, he feels incredibly light. I love you, I love you, I love you. For each time the words play through his mind, he presses another kiss to your skin.

He had missed you, and it was more than a little.

_**v.** _

Graduation. It’s hard to believe the day is finally here. In some ways, Kei still feels like the gangly first year he’d once been, brooding his way through life. He doesn’t think it’s quite sunken in yet that his time here is over. A lot is going to be changing in the next weeks and months, except, he hopes, for one thing. 

The ceremony passes by in a blur of faces and names, and when it’s over he’s clutching his diploma in his hand and scanning the crowd for you. When he finally catches sight of you, you’re already headed in his direction.

“It’s a good thing you’re so tall,” You laugh. “Finding you in a crowd is always easy.” He smiles. “We did it!” You continue, “Can you believe it? We graduated. It almost doesn’t feel real.”

“Well, it’s real,” He says, reaching into his pocket and closing his hand around the cool metal object inside. You’re still chattering as you walk, and he holds onto it until it’s become warm from the heat of his hand. Finally, when the crowd has begun to thin and you find yourselves in front of the school beneath a budding tree, he draws out his hand.

“Hey, Y/N.” You look at him then, expression growing more serious at the tone of his voice. He holds out his closed fist, and after a moment’s hesitation, you extend your hand. He drops the second button of his uniform jacket into it, feeling his cheeks heat up even though he’d promised himself he wouldn’t blush about this. You look from the button to his face with wide eyes, and he nods, smiling, something he can’t quite contain.

“Kei,” You say his name softly at the same time as he begins speaking.

“I love you.” It’s easy. It feels right. “And that’s not going to change, no matter what. You are-” He cuts off, not sure what word can begin to describe everything you are to him. “You’re the most important person in the world to me.”

“Kei.” You say his name again, clutching the button tight in your fist. Your smile is wobbly, but wide. “I love you, too.”

He cups the back of your neck, drawing you closer for a kiss. “I love you,” He says again, against your lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don’t know, it’s a sort of tradition in Japan for male students to give the second button from their uniform jacket to their crush / s/o as a symbol of their love etc, & from the little I’ve read it isn’t actually super common but it’s cute, darn it, so I used it

**Author's Note:**

> There's a lot more where this came from on my blog! Check out [@haikyuudreaming](http://haikyuudreaming.tumblr.com) if you'd like to read more <3


End file.
